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Manager: O. Nordahl Sånum, Mandal Built at Selby 1918. Previous names: Horsia, Heljo, Kenrhos, Kilfinny (according to "Shipwreck Index of the British Isles"). Captain: Kristian Eldor Nordhus Risøy is listed in the Norway-U.K. Convoy HN 7 in Jan.-1940. The following month we find her in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 11, and at the end of March-1940 Risøy, in ballast for Newcastle, is mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for Convoy HN 22. She's also listed as sailing in Convoy HN 25, which left Norway on Apr. 7-1940, shortly before the German invasion (Apr. 9).
Attacked by aircraft on March 20-1942 when on a voyage from Southampton to Swansea with a cargo of 450 tons scrap iron, having left Southampton the day before. She was in a coastal convoy escorted by a destroyer and 3 armed trawlers. The first attack took place off Portland and a tanker was hit and damaged. The captain's report says the convoy was north of Trevose Head that evening when another 3 planes came in low, and were met by fire from all the ships. 1 aircraft was hit and landed in the sea near one of the escorts, while the other two took off, only to come back two more times during the next half hour. A visitor to my website has told me that "Shipwreck Index of the British Isles" gives the position as10 miles west (not north) of Trevose Head, Cornwall for the attack on Risøy, the 4th and last on the convoy. She was hit by a bomb in No. 3 hold, blowing the hatches off. After having searched in vain for the missing 1st Engineer Sigurd Wathne, the crew went in the port lifeboat and rowed over to the escorting trawler HMS Ruby (T 24) which picked them up. The trawler intended to attempt saving her, but she sank, stern first, before they could do so. The survivors were later transferred to another vessel which landed them in Swansea on March 21. It later turned out that the engineer had been blown overboard, picked up by the British S/S Dunrange(?) and taken to a hospital in Swansea, where he died on March 26. He was buried in Swansea on March 31. An inquiry was held in Swansea on Apr. 1-1942 with the captain, the 1st and 2nd mates, the 2nd engineer, Able Seaman Gård (helmsman) and Ordinary Seaman Devold (lookout) appearing.
Related external link: Back to Risøy on the "Ships starting with R" page. Other ships by this name: Norway had 2 steamers by the name Risøy in the 1920's. One had originally been the German Burgermeister Massman (built 1895, 383 gt), which became the Norwegian Børvastind of Bodø, before she was purchased by D/S A/S Risøy (M. Clausen), Haugesund in 1924 and renamed Risøy. Sprang a leak and sank on Jan. 23-1926 on a voyage Ålesund-Ostende, Belgium with a cargo of herring during stormy weather. The crew was saved by D/S Kongshavn. Another D/S Risøy had previously been the English London Queen (built 1910, 599 gt). Purchased by D/S A/S Risøy (M. Clausen) in 1926 and renamed Risøy. Sold that same year to Chile and renamed Pilar. Also, Haugesund lost a D/S Risøy to WW I, delivered in Nov.-1909 to Sigvart Rasmussen, Haugesund, 1129 gt. Sunk by UB-40 on Oct. 22-1916, 12 n. miles north of Quessant on a voyage Barry Dock-Brest with 1524 tons coal. The crew was ordered to the lifeboats before the ship was sunk by explosives. One lifeboat reached St. Anne, Alderney after 2 days, the other disappeared without a trace. ("Våre gamle skip" by Leif M. Bjørkelund and E. H. Kongshavn). The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Norwegian Maritime Museum, Volume II, and misc. (ref. My sources).
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